In the wake of growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that it will be shutting its doors from 14 March 2020 all through till the end of the month.
The decision to do so was made after the Californian government’s order to call off non-essential mass gatherings, though Disneyland Resort has reported that it hasn’t had any cases of guests diagnosed with COVID-19 since the outbreak.
“The hotels of Disneyland Resort will remain open until Monday, March 16, to give guests the ability to make necessary travel arrangements; Downtown Disney will remain open,” Disneyland said in a press statement. “We will monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and guidance of federal and state officials and health agencies. Disney will continue to pay cast members during this time.”
It adds, “Disneyland Resort will work with guests who wish to change or cancel their visits, and will provide refunds to those who have hotel bookings during this closure period. We anticipate heavy call volume over the next several days and appreciate guests’ patience as we work hard to respond to all inquiries.”
Similarly, Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that its gates will be closed til 28 March “out of an abundance of concern”. Though Universal CityWalk, the themed dining and shopping area outside the park’s entry gates, will continue to remain open.
Though the theme parks in the West Coast will be temporarily closing its gates, business still goes on as per usual for the theme parks in Central Florida with Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando continuing to operate normally.
On the other side of the globe, Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan have also announced that it will be temporarily closed due to safety concerns with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Meanwhile, Disney’s and Universal’s movie arms are also crippled by COVID-19, with a slew of upcoming movies in March and April having been delayed.
Germaine is a fun-sized introvert who loves nothing better than sleeping in on rainy days. She can be found reading fanfiction and manga while still waiting for her Hogwarts acceptance letter. It’ll come eventually.
Natalie
Trinity Sun
A'bidah Zaid
